RONNIE PROCTOR’ S GAMBLE PAYS OFF
Past NHRA Top Sportsman world champion Ronnie Proctor collected a $ 50,000 payday when he turned on the final-round win light in the Intercontinental Top Sportsman Championship. Driving his nitrous-fed’ 09 Mustang, Proctor won when Brian Tiffe left the line. 012 seconds too soon. Proctor made a full pass, though, posting a 4.215 on his 4.19 dial-in.
“ This is dead-on the top of the list. For my career, from the NHRA world championship [ in 2018 ], this is right just with it, if not above it. It is definitely way up there,” Proctor said.“ I’ m in awe. It’ s crazy to race for this kind of money. We came through with the grace of God because there’ s no way, the way I started out this weekend, that we were going past first round. Just love, love it, love it. Without my girl [ wife Karen ], I wouldn’ t be here at all. Anybody that knows me knows that. But anyhow, the driver, he did alright today. He did OK.”
Proctor was one of 33 Top Sportsman drivers who entered to race for $ 50,000 at WSOPM. He faced drivers that he typically sees on the PDRA and NHRA Division 1 trails, but also racers who made the trip to Bradenton from across the country to compete for the historic payday.
“ You better be on your game,” Proctor said.“ There’ s a lot of good, talented racers with some really good cars in this whole deal here. We didn’ t know who signed up until we get here, and that actually keeps some people away, but we don’ t have anywhere to run for this kind of money.”
Proctor, who hails from Hedgesville, West Virginia, started eliminations with a win over Raceland, Louisiana’ s Earl Folse, who broke out. Another East vs. West battle followed with Texan Bob Gulitti in the second round, where Gulitti went. 002 red, while Proctor ran a 4.226 on a 4.21 dial. Proctor won on a double breakout over Indiana’ s Jonathan Smiddy in the third round. He cut a. 009 reaction time in the semifinals, but Vonnie Mills gave him the win when she went red by. 002.
Tiffe, driving for Dr. Gary Schween in the nitrous-fed Schween Motorsports’ 21 Corvette, picked up round wins over Mike Clark, David Crafts, Jeff Simons, and John Benoit on his way to the final round.— NATE VAN WAGNEN DI DI DI
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